Migrants from outside EU can no longer work in UK takeaways

The Home Office in the UK is to introduce new laws preventing chefs, hairdressers and estate agents from working in the country if they come from outside the European Economic Area (EEA).

The Migration Advisory Committee had been asked by the coalition government to review skill shortages in the UK and as a result it has now reduced the amount of posts to overseas workers where there is a skills shortage in the UK to eight roles. The roles also include pipe welders, sheep shearers and beauty salon managers.

The number of skilled migrants from outside the EEA will be capped at 21,700. Chefs will now need to be graduate level to work in the United Kingdom. Workers from outside the EEA wishing to work in takeaways and fast food outlets in the UK will be denied entry into the UK, reports the BBC. Many kebab houses, Indian and Chinese takeaways employ staff from countries like Turkey, India, Bangladesh and China as routine.

In January, a Hertfordshire-based Chinese take away was forced to close after immigration officials found several illegal immigrants from China and Malaysia working there.

Immigration Minister Damien Green said:

These changes will allow firms to bring in people with necessary skills without migrants becoming the first resort to fill a wide range of available jobs.

This government is also determined to get people back to work and provide business with the skills they need from the British workforce - reducing the need for migrants at the same time as we reduce their number

Unemployment in the UK has risen by 44,000 to 2.49 million, reports The Telegraph. A record 990,000 school leavers and graduates are also out of work. The government wants to cut net migration from 200,000 to about 60,000 by 2015.